Cleaning Your Teeth At Home

By

ehrline

I see people talking about a root canal like it is the worst thing you can have done. I don't understand this. I have had several root canals, done by a specialist, that have been no problem at all.

By

Bttrfly

I had a tooth that was hurting me all of a sudden. I don't have any insurance so I signed up for a discount card. I went to the dentist and it cost me $70 for x-rays and t he visit. The dentist wants to pull the tooth and put in an implant the same day. well, that would cost over $700! Of course since I have the discount card he needs ALL the money upfront. All I wanted him to do is pull the tooth. Well he doesn't want to do that. Pulling it would only cost me another $70. He put me on an antibiotic and the tooth isn't bothering me too much anymore. I am going to just wait and then if it bothers me again I will find a low cost clinic or someplace else to go. And I am going to stop payment on my discount card which doesn't seem like much of a discount to me anyways.

By

Stngray

I'm getting suspicious of all the root canals being done these days. I recently went to a new dentist and when I walked in the office, I heard a woman in his office yelping of pain. I asked the receptionist what she was having and the receptionist said, 'a root canal.' A girl in the waiting room said, 'I'm waiting to have a root canal also.' At that point, I said, 'I don't feel like having a root canal today' and I left and decided to find another dentist. I don't mind fillings at all. I am not fond of going to the dentist as it is, so I don't want to have any root canals. With all the fluoride these days, it shouldn't be too hard to keep your teeth good by brushing, flossing, etc. and seeing a dentist once a year.

By

Deeli

I used to have terrible problems with plaque and had to have dental cleanings every four months but started using 'Plax anti-plaque' mouthwash a couple of years ago (I buy it at Walgreens) ... I also paid the cost for an 'electric' Braun toothbrush and it definitely does a more thorough job than I was able to do with a manual toothbrush ... It also lets you know when you've brushed for two minutes ... I do two on top and two on bottom ...

I now only really need to go to the dentist once a year for cleaning and exam instead of three times a year and have saved a good chunk of change, not to mention my teeth :-)

By

thriftyengineer

I'm going with what the dental assistant said. My boyfriend messed around with his soft teeth and didn't take care of them. He avoided so much expensive dental work. Now he is 44 and wearing a full set of dentures. Isn't that great that he avoided all that cost?

By Harry (Guest Post)

I floss with a product called POH and I use a water pik from Wal Mart every day. When I go for a teeth cleaning the hygienist never fines any plaque. I used to go every 6 months but because there is almost nothing to clean I go once a year now. Also I don't smoke which causes a lot of plaque and tarter to build up and I use Arm and Hammer toothpaste